Tajikistan has received thirty-one more GeneXpert devices for the diagnosis of tuberculosis, according to the Ministry of Health and Social Protection (MoH).
An official source at a MoH says the devices have been handed over to the Republic Center for TB Prevention, bringing a total number of the GeneXpert devices in Tajikistan to 45.
The GeneXpert test is a molecular test for TB, which diagnoses TB by detecting the presence of TB bacteria, as well as testing for resistance to the drug Rifampicin.
Some organizations say the GeneXpert test is going to revolutionize the diagnosis and care of people with TB.
The test is a molecular test which detects the DNA in TB bacteria. It uses a sputum sample and can give a result in less than 2 hours. It can also detect the genetic mutations associated with resistance to the drug Rifampicin.
The GeneXpert has been developed by the Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics (FIND), who have partnered with the Cepheid Corporation and the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. Some of the funding for the development of the GeneXpert was provided by the NIH.
The GeneXpert system was launched in 2004, and the development of the GeneXpert test, based on the GeneXpert platform, was completed in 2008.
The first clinical validation studies were carried out in 2009. A large scale demonstration project was then carried out in a number of different countries including South Africa and India to assess the implementation of the GeneXpert.
Data from these studies were then submitted to the World Health Organisation (WHO) for evaluation in September 2010. In December 2010 WHO endorsed the GeneXpert technology and released a recommendation and guidance for countries to incorporate the new test into their programs.
According to the statistical data from the Ministry of Health and Social Protection of Tajikistan, 60 TB cases per 100,000 persons were reported in the country in 2015. In 2007, 85 TB cases per 100,000 persons were reported in Tajikistan.
